Traffic Control Method and Apparatus

Abstract

The present document discloses a method and apparatus for traffic control. The method includes: receiving a service requirement from a PGW and an Internet-surfing policy corresponding to the service requirement; acquiring traffic control information from an upper-layer application according to the service requirement and the Internet-surfing policy, herein the traffic control information includes: state information of a policy counter to be monitored and a traffic slice corresponding to the state information of the policy counter; and issuing the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice to the PGW. The technical solution provided by the present document achieves an effect of opening the traffic control to the upper-layer application, saves the unnecessary overhead and investment of a network layer, and improves the capability of a system to quickly deploy a traffic-refined application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for traffic control, comprising:
 receiving a service requirement from a Packet Data Network Gateway, PGW, and an Internet-surfing policy corresponding to the service requirement;   acquiring traffic control information from an upper-layer application according to the service requirement and the Internet-surfing policy, wherein the traffic control information comprises: state information of a policy counter to be monitored and a traffic slice corresponding to the state information of the policy counter; and   issuing the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice to the PGW.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, acquiring traffic control information from an upper-layer application according to the service requirement and the Internet-surfing policy comprises:
 sending a Spending-Limit-Request, SLR, message to the upper-layer application according to the service requirement and the Internet-surfing policy; and   receiving a Spending-Limit-Answer, SLA, message corresponding to the SLR message from the upper-layer application, wherein the SLA message carries the traffic control information.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, after issuing the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice to the PGW, the method further comprises:
 receiving a use result of the traffic slice that is reported by the PGW and a service request for applying for a next traffic slice; and   reporting the use result of the traffic slice to the upper-layer application, and acquiring the next traffic slice from the upper-layer application according to the service request.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein, after issuing the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice to the PGW, the method further comprises:
 when determining that all traffic slices issued to the PGW are used up and the PGW does not apply for a new traffic slice, reporting a use result of the last traffic slice used by the PGW to the upper-layer application, and sending a Session-Termination-Request, STR, message to the upper-layer application; and   receiving a Session-Termination-Answer, STA, message from the upper-layer application, and stopping traffic control to the PGW.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein, after issuing the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice to the PGW, the method further comprises:
 receiving a Spending-Status-Notification-Request, SNR, message from the upper-layer application, wherein the SNR message is used for indicating adjusting the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice;   notifying the PGW to adjust the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice; and   after determining that the PGW completes adjustment of the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice, returning a Spending-Status-Notification-Answer, SNA, message to the upper-layer application.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: acquiring the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for traffic control, comprising:
 a first receiving module, arranged to receive a service requirement from a Packet Data Network Gateway, PGW, and an Internet-surfing policy corresponding to the service requirement;   a first acquiring module, arranged to acquire traffic control information from an upper-layer application according to the service requirement and the Internet-surfing policy, wherein the traffic control information comprises: state information of a policy counter to be monitored and a traffic slice corresponding to the state information of the policy counter; and   an issuing module, arranged to issue the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice to the PGW.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein, the first acquiring module comprises:
 a sending unit, arranged to send a Spending-Limit-Request, SLR, message to the upper-layer application according to the service requirement and the Internet-surfing policy; and   a receiving unit, arranged to receive a Spending-Limit-Answer, SLA, message corresponding to the SLR message from the upper-layer application, wherein the SLA message carries the traffic control information.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a second receiving module, arranged to receive a use result of the traffic slice that is reported by the PGW and a service request for applying for a next traffic slice; and   a second acquiring module, arranged to report the use result of the traffic slice to the upper-layer application, and acquire the next traffic slice from the upper-layer application according to the service request.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a sending module, arranged to, when determining that all traffic slices issued to the PGW are used up and the PGW does not apply for a new traffic slice, report a use result of the last traffic slice used by the PGW to the upper-layer application, and send a Session-Termination-Request, STR, message to the upper-layer application; and   a third receiving module, arranged to receive a Session-Termination-Answer, STA, message from the upper-layer application, and stop traffic control to the PGW.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a fourth receiving module, arranged to receive a Spending-Status-Notification-Request, SNR, message from the upper-layer application, wherein the SNR message is used for indicating adjusting the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice;   a notifying module, arranged to notify the PGW to adjust the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice; and   a feedback module, arranged to, after determining that the PGW completes adjustment of the state information of the policy counter and the traffic slice, return a Spending-Status-Notification-Answer, SNA, message to the upper-layer application.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein, the first acquiring module is arranged to acquire the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising: acquiring the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising: acquiring the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising: acquiring the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising: acquiring the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein, the first acquiring module is arranged to acquire the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein, the first acquiring module is arranged to acquire the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein, the first acquiring module is arranged to acquire the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein, the first acquiring module is arranged to acquire the traffic control information from the upper-layer application through an extended Sy interface, wherein the extended Sy interface comprises Usage-Monitoring-Information, and the Usage-Monitoring-Information comprises:
 a Monitoring-Key, which is used for determining the state information of the policy counter;   a Granted-Service-Unit, which is used for carrying the traffic slice;   a Used-Service-Unit, which is used for reporting the use result of the traffic slice;   a Usage-Monitoring-Report, which is used for actively inquiring, by the upper-layer application, the number of used traffic slices; and   a Usage-Monitoring-Support, which is used for actively turning off, by the upper-layer application, traffic monitoring.